Review~ Freya Lauren Balcony Bra

I have been sitting on this review for a while. This is a gorgeous looking bra and I thought it would grow on me. But once again, I love the picture of the product more than the product itself. This particular bra is part of the Lauren range, with a size range of 28D-J, 30D-K, 32-36C-K, and 38C-J. The plunge style stops at a GG in all band sizes, a FF in a 28 band, and a E in a 38 band. The padded half cup starts at a 30 band. The Lauren Balcony bra is a dainty white bra with a pretty little bow. The straps look thin and pretty with small bows where the cups and straps meet. The center gore is of moderate height, not a plunge bra, not a fuller coverage.

Pretty bow in the center gore

Freya Lauren in 28H

This picture is me in the 28H, not quite so pretty and dainty looking. The one thing I want from my bras is the one thing that is not made by Freya in my size. I’d love plunge front or at least a lower center gore. Once you get into the GG+ range the gore height increases. This added height to the center gore causes fit problems for me. Below is a picture of the first fit problem I have with this bra. The center gore suggests that I need to go up a cupsize. I’m not 100% sure of this based on the width of the bra (pic below). Now remember, I have breast implants, and while soft and movable, they do not always fit a bra like breast tissue. I have naturally close breasts, and combined with implants, the center gore is too wide to actually sit on my chest. The bra actually leaves some angry red marks on each breast from trying to sit closer to my sternum. That said, even if I move things around to get the gore flat it is still lifted, but just slightly.

First fit problem

The second fit problem, already mentioned above, is the width of the wire.As you can see below, the wire sits farther back then what my actual breast does. There is room for two fingers between the bra wire and the end of my breast. So I need less wire width and more room for the projection of the breast. Freya is known for being more narrow through the wires, so I think I’m kind of stuck with this as an issue. The Freya bras I have all have this problem, but the wires are only slightly wider then the Masquerade Rhea and Curvy Kate Thrill Me that I have in the same size.

Wire width

The last issue I had with this bra is a result of the breaking in period. The wires were horribly stiff and straight. In order to comfortably wear the bra I had to bend the wires to a more U shape to fit my body. Examples can be seen on Bras I Hate

There are definitely things that I like about this bra. First off, it is pretty even if it is a basic white bra. This particular style is available in black and a color titled Lupin, a purplish color. I love the striped texture of the bottom two parts of the bra. The bows are basic and cute with out over doing it on the cute factor. The band fit is looser then what I’d like in a 28 band. I am currently wearing it on the middle set of hooks, not the loosest. This bra wears well under a tighter fitted t-shirt, as long as there is a design to hide the seams. Overall I’d say this is a good basic bra, I’ll keep it because there are not many options in a 28H. I do think that this bra, and the two other styles, are more suited to a woman not in the GG+ range or with more space between their breasts. Remember, my 28H holds the same volume as a 30GG/32G which is available in the plunge style. Something that just does not make sense to me. They hold the same volume, but the 28H needs more support, hence the higher gore.

So the search for great fitting bras continues. I’d love a perfect fit, but I’m to the point of settling for great, heck even good fitting bras would be welcome right now.

I’ve tried a few Cleo bras with no luck. They have been wider in the wires then Freya. I’ll definitely look into the two you suggest, I have not tried those two yet. I love the Harlequin/Masquerade line. The Rhea is tighter in the band and works well for me. If the two you suggest are similar they may be a great choice. Thanks for the suggests! Please feel free to pass any others you have.

You really need to check out Ewa Michalak and other Polish brands like Comexim. You can also experiment with sister sizes. Going up in the band and down in cupsize results into narrower wires, which seems to be what you need.

Thanks Maria! I really do need to try Ewa, I’m just nervous about ordering and international shipping to the US. I have have not heard of Comexim, I’ll be looking them up, so any information or personal experience you have would be very appreciated. I definitely don’t want to go up in the band though, the 28H above has the band pulled tight on the last hooks, and that is part of why the wires are so wide. With out that tension they are actually much better, but the band is too loose to support.

I have heard of thirty_twod, but have never posted. I’ll have to take a look at that as well.

Well, it looks to me as if you might possibly be suffering from “inverted letterphobia”. This means wearing a band too tight and a cup too large. A too large cup can cause a band to feel loose, so you go down in bandsize to correct this. The tight band pulls the cup flat, thus the rim of the cup digs in and the center gore hoovers indicating a too small cup despite the cup being to big. The only indication that something is wrong are the too wide wires. If 30 bands are really too loose, try sewing some non-stretchy fabric onto the elastic to stabilize the band and keep it from stretching.
Alternatively you could look into Bravissimo bras, their housebrand has relatively narrow and stable wires. Some people had success switching the soft and wobbly Freya underwires for the narrower and more stable wires from Bravissimo.

I have a smaller ribcage, at 26 inches and could easily wear a 26 in most styles. When trying on a bra I put the band on first to assess the fit, before even putting with cups over my breasts. I can tell immediately that the band is too large. Unfortunately, pulling the band tighter pulls the wires back on the cups more then they would normally be.
I have tried size down in the cup, up in the band, and several different combinations. A 30 band is much too loose, G or GG cups too small. I have bras that fit in sizes ranging from 28GG to 28H to 28HH. All these that fit have bands that are tighter then a Freya 28 band. Sometimes a particular style or brand does not work for a person, and unfortunately this bra is one that does not work for me.

Hi, hope I am not going to double up here, but you can get some great Ewa Michalak on eBay, they do go pretty quick though and the shipping costs are that bad either. Not sure how you feel about 2nd hand!
It’s a very pretty bra, might have to have a look at the other colours mentioned. :-)